The Penal Code Revision: A wildlife protection milestone for Vietnam

At ENV, we are looking ahead to the future with the ambition of reaching the point in time where the law and application of the law afford endangered wildlife an opportunity to survive and recover in nature.

In late November, the government signed into law the new penal code, greatly strengthening legal protection for wildlife in Vietnam, a significant step forward toward reaching this goal and reinforcing the government’s commitment to tackling the illegal wildlife trade.

The new penal code will come into effect in July 2016 and includes stipulations in Article 234 and 244 that will permit law enforcement to impose criminal penalties for offenses that were previously considered lesser crimes.